1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention broadly relates to an apparatus and to a method of using the apparatus to lift a load. The invention further relates to an apparatus and to a method of using the apparatus to transfer a portion of a load from a first supporting base to a second supporting base. The invention still further relates to an apparatus and to a method of using the apparatus to partially lift a load and then to push or pull the entire load. The invention more specifically relates to partially lifting a first vehicle utilizing a beam and a draw works in combination with a second vehicle and then using the beam to tow the partially lifted first vehicle with the second vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Problems Solved
Goods of all sizes and weights are commonly, and customarily, transported from one land location to another land location by means of wheeled vehicles. Such goods, in large measure, are placed in trailers. The trailers are then connected to motorized vehicles which then pull the trailers from place to place over suitable roadways. The trailers employed can be quite large. Consequently, the pulling vehicles are also quite large. The art recognizes such large motorized towing vehicles, sometimes called tractors, and has placed them in a special category and assigned to them the recognizable name, xe2x80x9csemi tractors,xe2x80x9d or simply, xe2x80x9csemisxe2x80x9d.
The employment of a semi tractor to haul a trailer is very popular and convenient until the tractor becomes disabled on a roadway. At that point, not only must the trailer being hauled by the disabled semi be hauled by another functioning semi, but also the disabled semi must itself be hauled to a suitable repair facility. In a sense, a disabled semi tractor has suffered a reversal of roles and has itself become a trailer to be hauled.
The art has recognized the challenge of towing disabled semi tractors by delegating the task of towing semi tractors to other semi tractors, referred to as wreckers, which have been specifically, and permanently, equipped with booms, gears and winches of size sufficient to partially lift the disabled vehicle from the supporting roadway to enable the wrecker to tow the thus lifted vehicle to a desirable facility.
The conversion of a semi tractor to the role of wrecker, by the permanent installation of lifting equipment, thereby dedicates it to that role and effectively eliminates the wrecker from the task of hauling trailers which contain goods. The art thus requires a method of, and an apparatus for, dispensing with the need of dedicating a semi tractor to the role of a wrecker.
This invention, accordingly. provides an apparatus and a method of using the apparatus which will enable, for example, any available semi tractor to partially lift and tow any other semi tractor to thereby eliminate the need of specifically dedicating a vehicle to limited use as a wrecker.
This invention comprises an apparatus and a method of using the apparatus to partially lift a load. The expression, xe2x80x9cto partially lift a load,xe2x80x9d means that a portion of the load is transferred from a first platform to a second platform while the balance of the load remains supported by at least a portion of the first platform. An example of a load to be partially lifted by the apparatus and method of this invention is a vehicle having at least one wheel on the front side and at least one wheel on the back side to support the weight of the vehicle on a base, such as the ground, wherein the wheel, or wheels, on the back side of the vehicle are lifted from the ground while the wheel, or wheels, on the front side of the vehicle remain on the ground, to thereby transfer a portion of the weight of the vehicle to a different support platform, such as to another vehicle.
The apparatus is broadly comprised of a beam and a draw works. The method of using the apparatus to partially lift a load requires the co-operation of the apparatus itself, the load to be lifted and a stationary base or platform. Subsequent to the lift, the beam element of the apparatus can be employed to push or pull the entire load from one location to another location.
The beam of this invention comprises a substantially linear central member, a first linear connecting member and a second linear connecting member. The linear central member has a top side, a bottom side, a right side, a left side, a first end and a second end and is, preferably, rectangular in cross section. The linear member, in one embodiment, can be in the form of an inverted xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d, i.e., concave, to help support the load while still retaining the substantially linear character thereof. The first linear connecting member has a first distal end and a first proximal end. The second linear connecting member has a second distal end and a second proximal end.
The first linear connecting member is attached to, projects downwardly from and is substantially perpendicular to the bottom side of the linear central member. In this regard, the first proximal end of the first linear connecting member is rigidly, but removably, connected to the first end of the linear central member and extends downwardly from and substantially perpendicular to the bottom side thereof. The first distal end of the first linear connecting member is adapted for multidirectional rotation on, and removable attachment to, a first pivot which is a structural feature of the load to be lifted.
The second linear connecting member is attached to, projects downwardly from and is substantially perpendicular to the bottom side of the linear central member. In this regard, the second proximal end of the second linear connecting member is rigidly, but removably, connected to the second end of the linear central member and extends downwardly from and substantially perpendicular to the bottom side thereof. The second distal end of the second linear connecting member is adapted for multidirectional rotation on, and removable attachment to, a second pivot which is a structural feature of a stationary base.
In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the word xe2x80x9cpivot,xe2x80x9d as used herein, refers to an axle positioned substantially parallel to the transverse axis of a body, but not necessarily intersecting the horizontal axis, i.e., the linear axis, of the body. Thus, the first pivot is a first axle positioned substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the load to be lifted, and the second pivot is a second axle positioned substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the mentioned stationary base which is employed in combination with the apparatus of the invention to lift the load. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the structure of the first distal end of the first linear connecting member functions to enable the linear central member of the beam of this invention to rotate around the first axle and to rotate around an axis which is perpendicular to the first axle. Similarly, the structure of the second distal end of the second linear connecting member functions to enable the linear central member of the beam of this invention to rotate around the second axle and to rotate around an axis which is perpendicular to the second axle. The rotations of the first distal end and the second distal end around the respective axles, as mentioned, occur simultaneously, in the same direction and through the same number of degrees. In this embodiment, each of the described axles is recognized in the art as an element of a xe2x80x9cfifth wheelxe2x80x9d and the distal end is broadly recognized in the art as a xe2x80x9cking pinxe2x80x9d and associated bearing support plate. This arrangement is recognized in the art as a xe2x80x9cfifth wheel and king pinxe2x80x9d connection.
In another embodiment, the word xe2x80x9cpivot,xe2x80x9d as used herein, refers to a stationary ball vertically and rigidly mounted on a support ordinarily positioned substantially parallel to the horizontal, i.e., linear, axis of a body, wherein the distal end of the connecting member is adapted for multidirectional rotational attachment to the ball. This arrangement is recognized in the art as a xe2x80x9cball and socket connection.xe2x80x9d
The draw works, in a first embodiment of the invention, comprises a winch, a winch saddle and pulley system associated therewith, a flexible line, such as cable, having a free end and a winch end, and a traveling block having a pulley system, and a load contacting and load gripping means associated therewith. The draw works, when in the form of the first embodiment, is employed to partially lift a load, for example, the vehicle previously mentioned.
The draw works, in a second embodiment of the invention, is further comprised of a cradle block, and pulley system associated therewith, a first load supporting post, a second load supporting post and associated pulleys. The draw works, when in the form of the second embodiment, is employed to aid in the assembly of the beam of this invention and to aid in its connection to the vehicles.
The winch comprises a motor, gears and a flexible cable wound on a barrel adapted to rotate around an axis parallel to the linear axis of the linear central member. The winch is attached to and supported by the top surface of the winch saddle. The rotating barrel is preferably driven by an electric motor.
The winch saddle of the draw works is supported by and positioned on the top side of the linear central member of the beam at a point intermediate the first end of the linear central member and the second end of the linear central member.
The traveling block, in the first embodiment, is adapted for removable connection to a point on the load intermediate the first pivot and the second pivot at a location substantially vertically below the winch prior to lift.
In the second embodiment, the traveling block is adapted for removable connection to a stable support platform, such as the mentioned load, intermediate the first pivot and the second pivot at a location substantially vertically below the winch.
The first and second load supporting posts and associated pulleys are adapted for connection to and vertical support by the traveling block and for vertical support and vertical movement of the winch, winch saddle, cradle block and the beam.
The cradle block and pulley system associated therewith is supported by and adapted for removable attachment to the winch saddle.
The flexible line, when employed in the first embodiment of the draw works, connects the traveling block to the winch and winch saddle and, in co-operation with the first pivot and the second pivot, suspends the load and the traveling block below the bottom side of the linear central member of the beam.
The flexible line, when employed in the second embodiment of the draw works, connects the cradle block to the winch, the traveling block, the first and second load posts and, in co-operation with the first pivot, suspends the cradle block, the winch, the winch saddle and the beam from and below the support posts and above the traveling block.
In operation of the invention employing the draw works in the form of the first embodiment, the first distal end of the first linear connecting member is attached to the first pivot, the second distal end of the second linear connecting member is attached to the second pivot and the traveling block is attached to the load. Thereafter, the winch is activated to cause the cable to wind around the barrel of the winch to thereby decrease the distance between the winch and the traveling block. The net result is that the beam is caused to rotate on the first and second pivots, the winch, winch saddle and traveling block are lifted and the load is partially lifted and transferred to the stationary base.
In operation of the invention employing the draw works in the form of the second embodiment, the first distal end of the first linear connecting member is attached to the first pivot and the traveling block is attached to a stationary base, such as the load. Thereafter, the winch is activated to cause the cable to wind around the barrel of the winch to thereby decrease the distance between the cradle block and the top of the support posts. The net result is that the beam is caused to rotate on the first pivot, the winch, winch saddle, cradle block and the beam are lifted toward the top of the support posts and the weight of the winch, winch saddle, cradle block and the beam are partially transferred to the traveling block in preparation for attachment of the second distal end to the second pivot.
It is obvious, but important to expressly observe, that the traveling block does move in the first embodiment, but does not move in the second embodiment.